Scaffolding structure



April 5, 1938. D. H. JONES SCAFFCLDING STRUCTURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 9, 1957 Aprii 5, 1938. H, JONES- 2,113,196

SCAFFOLDING STRUCTURE Fi led Aug. 9, 1957 s Sheets-Sheet 2 "ZZZ/ willie 4 W 1m w D. H. JONES SCAF'FOLDING STRUCTURE Aprifi 5; 19386 F iled Aug. 9, 1957 a Sheets-She't s Patented Apr. 5, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SCAFFOLDIN G STRUCTURE Application August 9,

1937, Serial No. 158,233

In Great Britain October 12, 1936 8 Claims.

In the construction of standard length tubular metal scaffolding, i. e. scafiolding in which the horizontal tubes are applied in standard lengths, it has been customary to provide the tubes with fittings at both ends adapted to engage with dovetails or sockets located on collars carried on the upright members. This system of scaffolding in which the vertical and horizontal tubes are contained in the same plane is easy to assemble and requires less skill to erect the members truly horizontal and vertical than the skill entailed in erecting a scaffolding structure where the tubes are clamped together by fittings which clamp the tubes side by side as they pass at right angles in different but parallel planes.

The object of this invention is to attach the horizontal tubes to the upright tubes in the same plane without requiring end fittings to be provided on the horizontal tubes and thus improve the structure while obtaining greater security than heretofore.

According to this invention in scaffolding and like structures composed of standard length tubes assembled together in angular relationship to each other. a supporting member is affixed to one of said tubes (Whether upright, horizontal or inclined) and is formed or provided with a stud or projection (hereinafter termed a stud for convenience of description) and with an abutment face spaced apart from said stud. while the other tube is formed with a socket adapted to receive said stud so disposed that the end of said other tube is jammed between the stud and the said abutment face.

The supporting member is formed with two or more. and preferably with four, of said studs and abutment faces arranged at right angles to each other around the axis of the tube to which it is attached.

In carrying the invention into effect the tubes are d vided into standard lengths and at the ends of the tubes tapered holes are bored through the diametrically opposite wallsat right angles to their axes. the said bore being larger at one side and tapering to a smaller diameter hole at the opposite sides of the tubes. These taper holes are preferably made while the tubes are held in jigs and may be made simultaneously with the cutting off of the tubes to the standard length so as to ensure that the end of the tube spaced apart by the required amount from the socket. To the vertical tube. to which the horizontal standard length sections are to be attached and supported in coinciding planes, a collar is attached having an outstanding flange on which one or more tapered studs are formed each of suitable size to be received in the tapered hole formed in the end of a horizontal tube. This collar is also formed with an external face spaced apart from each stud by a distance slightly less than that between the end of the horizontal tube and its socket, said external face being shaped to form an abutment for the end of said tube. On the application of the horizontal tube, the taper stud draws the tube into its correct position and presses the end of the tube up against the external face of the collar in such a way that the tube and collar and therefore the horizontal tube and vertical tube are held firmly together and any weight applied to the horizontal member tends toforce the horizontal member more firmly on to the stud and thereby increase the rigidity of the junction between the horizontal and vertical members. The flange on which the tapered studs stand is dished o1 turned-up at each side of the stud so as to form ears which act to increase the rigidity of the flange and thereby increase the strength of the support and its outstanding flange. Each flange may also be formed on its under side with two spaced ribs tapering outwardly from the root to the tip of the flange to increase its strength. The curvature of the flange may be such as to coincide with the external diameter of the horizontal tube and thus add to the firmness of the seating by embracing said tube on both sides.

The collar on which the flanges are formed may be provided with a set-screw'for attaching it to the vertical tube in a suitable position and maintaining this collar in the desired position on the tube.

Instead of forming tapered holes in the tube to receive the stud, plain holes of different diameters may be formed in the tube so as to produce what is virtually a tapered hole extending diametrically through the tube at right angles to its axis.

Each part of the sup-porting member may be formed with projections at one side and with recesses at the other side so that the parts can be set together with the projections on one part engaging with the recesses in the other part.

A scaffolding structure formed in accordance with this invention is shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings. in which Fig. 1 is perspective View iilustrating a portion of the scaflolding having the scaffolding members constructed, arranged and assembled according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of one form of the supporting member.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2, illustrating the method of applying the horizontal tubes to the supporting member.

Fig. 4 is an underside perspective view of part of the scafiolding structure showing a supporting member mounted on a vertical tube and having two horizontal tubes attached to said supporting member.

Fig. 5 is a similar view to Fig. 4 but illustrates a top side perspective view of the fitting.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation illustrating a modified form of the supporting member to that shown in Figs. 2 to 5.

As shown in Fig. l, the scaifolding is built up of a series of vertical tubes a forming one set and horizontal tubes 22 forming another set, the horizontal tubes being applied in standard lengths which extend transversely and longitudinally between the vertical members, which may or may not be of standard lengths, the horizontal tubes being connected to the vertical members by supporting members marked 0 in such a manner that the axes of the horizontal members if continued would intersect the axes of the vertical tubes a. The supporting member 0 shown in Fig. l and in detail in Figs. 2 to 5 comprises a collar 0 formed with four flanges c c 0 0 extending at right angles to each other, each of these flanges being dished or turned up to a curvature which corresponds with the external diameter of the horizontal tube 1) to be supported thereon. Each of these flanges carries an upstanding stud c which tapers upwardly. The collar is also formed with four vertical side faces 0'', .0 0 0 one at the root of each flange, each adapted to act as an abutment face for the end of a tube. Each horizontal tube 1) is formed at its ends with holes b 1) bored through the diametrically opposite walls at right angles to their axes, the bore of the hole b at one side being larger than that of the hole b at the opposite side so that the holes in effect are tapered. When the horizontal tubes are applied to the upstanding stud with the larger hole b first engaged over this stud as shown at the right-hand side of Fig. 3, the end of the tube 2) can be maintained clear of the abutment face while the tube is being moved into position but as the tube is moved down on the stud, the inclined formation of the stud causes the tube to be moved endwise into engagement with the side face on the collar and thus the tube is securely held by its engagement with said side piece and tapered stud as shown on the left-hand side of Fig. 3, but can be readily moved by giving the horizontal tube a slight tap with a hammer or other equivalent tool.

Each dished flange may be formed with a small hole 0 in the centre of its root through which any material which would otherwise collect in the dished flange may fall to avoid the said material preventing the movement of the horizontal tube firmly into contact with the abutment face and stud. This hole 0 would also serve for the passage of a tool to engage with the end of the horizontal tube to enable said end to be tapped with a tool when necessary to facilitate its removal. The collar 0 is provided with a setscrew 0 for attaching it to the vertical tube in a suitable position and maintaining it in the desired position on the said tube but permit its removal from the tube when necessary.

Each flange 0 c c, c may be formed on its underside with two spaced ribs e 0 tapering outwardly from the root to the tip of the flange to increase its strength, the said ribs being located one at either side of the hole 0 in each flange.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 5 the flanges .0 c 0 c with their studs and abutment faces are located in the same position relatively to the axis of the tube a on which the collar is mounted but instead of so arranging the flanges, one or more of them could be disposed as shown in Fig. 6 in a diiferent position relatively to the other flange or flanges. For example as shown in Fig. 6, which illustrates a similar construction to that shown in Figs. 2 to 5 and in which, therefore, similar parts are indicated by like references to those used in these figures, the flanges 0 c are so located that the tubes 1) received thereon (of which only one is shown on the flange 0 have their upper surface level with the lower surfaces of' the tubes 13 fixed to the flanges c 0 This arrangement is advantageous in certain structures as it allows further tubes, of which one mark d is shown in Fig. 6, to be arranged parallel to the upper tubes 1) while allowing the lower tubes 17 attached to the collar to pass beneath the upper tubes b and d. This arrangement thus permits further tubes or other members in addition to those attached to the collar to be fixed in the same plane as the fixed tubes.

Although the invention has been described with reference to tubes, it will be understood that it may also be applied to rods or metal members of various cross sectional shape.

The construction according to this invention may be applied to structures other than scaffolding which are built up of vertical, horizontal or inclined tubes interconnected together.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Scaffolding structures comprising at least two sets of scaffolding members with the members in one set arranged at a predetermined angular relationship to those in the other set, a supporting member afflxed to each of the scaffolding members in one set, said supporting member having a fiat abutment face thereon, and a taper stud carried on said supporting member approximately parallel with but spaced apart from said face, the scaffolding members in the other set having an end part adapted to contact with said abutment face and having a socket adapted to receive the said stud spaced apart from said end part by a distance slightly greater than that by which the taper stud is spaced apart from the abutment face, whereby the scaflolding members in said other set are jammed between the said stud and the said abutment face.

2. Scaffolding structures comprising at least two sets of scaffolding members with the members in one set arranged at a predetermined angular relationship to those in the other set, a supporting member, means for affixing said supporting member to one set of scaffolding members, said supporting member having four flat abutment faces thereon arranged at apart and four taper studs corresponding in position to the abutment faces carried on said supporting member, each extending approximately parallel with but spaced apart from its corresponding abutment face, each of the scafiolding members in the other set having an end part adapted to contact with its corresponding abutment face and having a socket adapted to receive the one of the said studs, said stud being spaced apart from the said end part by a distance slightly greater than that by which the stud is spaced apart from its abutment face, whereby the scaffolding members in said other set are jammed between the stud and the said abutment face.

3. Scaffolding structures comprising at least two sets of scaffolding members with the members in one set arranged at .a predetermined angular relationship to those in the other set,a supporting member affixed to each of the scaffolding members in one set having at least two flat abutment faces thereon, and at least two taper studs carried on said supporting member, each of the said studs being arranged approximately parallel with but spaced apart from each abutment face, while one stud and its corresponding abutment face is located in a different position longitudinally of the scaffolding member on which the supporting member is mounted relative to the other stud and its corresponding abutment face, the scaffolding members in the other set each having an end part adapted to contact with one of the said abutment faces and having a socket adapted to receive one of the said studs spaced apart from said end part by a distance slightly greater than that by which the taper stud is spaced apart from the abutment face, whereby the scaffolding members in said other set are jammed between the studs and the abutment faces.

4. Scaffolding structures comprising scaffolding members, a supporting member affixed to one of said scaffolding members, having a flange for supporting another scaffolding member in angular relationship to the scaffolding member on which it is fixed, and having an abutment face for the scaffolding member supported on said flange and a taper stud on said flange extending out from said flange approximately parallel to but spaced apart from said face, said scaffolding member on said flange having an end contacting with said abutment face and having a socket engaging said projection spaced apart from said end part by a distance slightly greater than that by which the taper stud is spaced apart from the abutment face, whereby the scaffolding members are jammed between said face and the projection.

5. Scaffolding structures comprising scaffolding members, a supporting member aflixed to one of said scaffolding members, having at least two flanges for supporting other scaffolding members in angular relationship to each other and to the scaffolding member on which the supporting member is fixed, said flanges being shaped to correspond with a part of the external contour of the scaffolding member supported thereon and an abutment face for each scaffolding member supported on said flanges and a taper stud on each of said flanges extending out from said flange approximately parallel to but spaced apart from said face, each of the said scaffolding members supported on a flange having an end contacting with the abutment face and having a socket engaging the stud spaced apart from said end part by a distance slightly greater than that by which the taper stud is spaced apart from the abutment face, whereby the scaffolding members are jammed between said face and the stud.

6. Scaffolding structures comprising scaffolding members, a supporting member afiixed to one of said scaffolding members, having four flanges arranged at right angles to each other for supporting other scaffolding members at right angles to each other and in angular relationship to the scaffolding member on which the supporting member is mounted, said flanges being shaped to correspond partly with the scaffolding member supported thereon, and having an abutment face at right angles to each flange for contacting with the scaffolding member supported on said flange and a taper stud on said flange extending out from said flange approximately parallel to but spaced apart from said face, said scaffolding member on said flange having an end contacting with said abutment face and having a socket engaging said stud, said socketbeing spaced apart from the said end by .a distance slightly greater than that by which the taper stud is spaced apart from its abutment face, whereby the said scaffolding member is jammed between said face and the stud.

'7. Scaffolding structures comprising scaffolding members, a supporting member affixed to one of said scaffolding members, having four radial flanges arranged at right angles to each other for supporting other scaffolding members at right angles to each other and to the scaffolding member on which the supporting member is fixed and having four abutment faces extending upwardly at the root ends of the flanges for contacting with the scaffolding members supported on said flanges and a taper stud on each flange extending upwardly at right angles from said flange spaced apart from said face, said scaffolding member on said flange having an end contacting with said abutment face and having a socket engaging said stud spaced apart from said end part by a distance slightly greater than that by which the taper stud is spaced apart from the abutment face, whereby the said scaffolding member is jammed between said face and the stud.

8. A supporting member for scaffolding structures comprising a part shaped to receive one scaffolding member, means for attaching said part to said scaffolding member, said part having four radial flanges at right angles to each other adapted to support other scaffolding members at right angles to each other and to the first scaffolding member, and having an abutment face at the root of each flange and a taper stud on each flange adapted to engage the scaffolding member supported thereon and jam it against said abutment face.

DAVID HENRY JONES. 

